My Planted Tank Journal

[cuprajake]

thank you, it's getting there slowly but surely.

last night i made my ricca stone, was going to use slate but it broke to cleanly.

i also transfered a few other fish, the laft few will be going in this aft. along with the second internal filter which will help to circulate the tank even more.

i also had a mess with my led to see if they give the desired effect

the plants are really taking off now lol.

next i need to gloss the frame, add a few more plants and im done for a week or so till i want to put the next lot of fish in.

jake


on a side note how do i trim this plant, one is now bending over at the surface lol

 

[AndyOleszczuk]

Jake, your journal is brilliant and your tank looks absolutely amazing. I wish I had your patience to take time to do everything properly like you have.
I may pop in the next time I'm up at Carcraft lol

 

[cuprajake]

funny you should mention carcraft, we used to do bodywork for them, before they started to use the cheap and nasties lol

we have a bodyshop in rochdale called panelcare

jake

 

[AndyOleszczuk]

If I'm honest I wouldn't buy another car from them anyway lol. I wonder what my girlfriend would say if I cut a hole between the lounge and dining room lol. I can only dream.

 

[cuprajake]

i think thats what everyone say's after they have bought it lol

you need to be persuassive. n if not stomp your feet like a kid till you get your own way hahahaha

 

[mlawson]

Looking great!

 

[cuprajake]

well,

noticed some slight thread/hair alge so i got some more quick growing plants,

all the fish and the other filter are now transfered too.

did some more tests

ph 6.4 stable for the last 4-5 days now
kh 40ppm

which indicate i have around 26ppm co2

and finally

phosphate which is 10 ppm

i have a master test kit on order so i will have to wait to test ammonia/nitrate/nitrite etc

hopefully the ei dosing is still working.

i placed the new internal filter above the nutrafin ladder diffuser so it will help spread any bubbles of co2 left over

jake

 

[Castellop123]

noticed some slight thread/hair alge so i got some more quick growing plants,

To add slightly more CO2 to your tank and to rid your aquarium of hair algae, maybe try out Seachem Flourish Excel... Or go with your more natural option - more plants...

Cheers...

 

[cuprajake]

today i have been to the lfs and got 4 amano shripms, may get a few more next week, there very quick in the water lol

also got two alge eaters who are happily munching away on the thread alge, i also noticed smoe on the rear of the tank so that got wiped off and then i did a 25%wate change,

i measured my water again

phosphate is about 8ppm , which is down from 10
ph is 6.4/6.5
kh is 40ppm
gh is 80ppm

so everything seem's to going ok

apart from the amazon swords looking a little worse for wear, but i dont know if the old leaves are dying off so that the new shoots can come through

jake

 

[cuprajake]

here's a new shrimp

and mini pearling on the ricca

 

[cuprajake]

as regards the Flourish Excel, im already adding traces in ei doaing, are these different from the excel?

what will it do if anything, im sure i read that it is dangerous with amano shrimps

jake

 

[Dave Spencer]

Flourish Excel is basically organic Carbon, whereas Flourish is a trace additive.

I have heard of people`s Amanos being killed by Excel, but others have no problems at all. I personally wouldn`t risk my shrimp, I like them too much.

Dave.

 

[cuprajake]

think i'll leave the flourish excel then.

here are some more pics, the tank has been planted for 1 week now

1st day

week later

jake

 

[idlefingers]

wow! That looks fantastic!

 

[cuprajake]

i was rather hoping the side would fill out but it seems to be the middle thats going mentall haha